


Green Lightning

by danceswithhamsters01



Series: Reddit Prompts [30]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Genre: Gen, Grey Wardens, Mages (Dragon Age), Teaching, The Warden is a bit of a hard-ass, Training, Vigil's Keep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 15:04:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17409089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/danceswithhamsters01/pseuds/danceswithhamsters01
Summary: Based on a prompt from r/dragonage.Warden-Commander Amell and Nathaniel Howe do a training exercise for a couple of new-ish mage Warden-Recruits. Sometimes, part of being a good mentor is determining when your student needs a cheerleader or a kick in the butt. That said, remember to have a bit of fun along the way!





	Green Lightning

**Author's Note:**

> This prompt is a loose continuation from the one found here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16527650

****Prompt 4****  The crackle and sizzle of lightning, a wild peal of laughter, flash of green, a pause, a stomp.

 

_Vigil’s Keep, on a day that isn’t Tuesday._

 

She stomped her foot, growling in frustration. The Warden-Commander paced back and forth in the practice yard as if she were a beast caught in a cage and seeking release. A pair of trainee mage recruits stood against the far wall, nervously watching her. Another Warden, Nathaniel, who was decidedly not a mage, leaned against the wall, not far off from the recruits. He wore a small smirk as he watched Amell’s frustrated pacing. Above them, the sky was slowly darkening. The horizon was orange and gold, with the undersides of the few clouds present bathed in pink tones.

 

“Grouse all you like, Commander, you can’t make the sun set any quicker,” Howe chuckled. He idly counted the arrows in the holder to his left. Forty. That was a bit much, in his opinion. The heads were covered with scraps of cloth. Next to the container stood a small bowl of oil and a torch. Really, the Commander’s plan was bonkers, but he was going along with it, anyways. Sometimes it was amusing to watch madness up close.

 

She stopped her pacing once the stars began to come out of hiding. Summoning a small pink wisp for light, she began. “Perry, Jana. You’ve both been progressing nicely. You’ve even gotten better at hitting your targets.”

 

Howe snickered. The several weeks ago, Jana had accidentally let loose a bolt of lightning that had flown wildly and sent Oghren flying across the practice yard. While no lasting harm had been done, it was weeks before the dwarf’s beard stopped being a mass of red frizz that refused to be tamed by any amount of combing or fancy beard oil.

 

Sevarra favored him with a quirked ebony brow before continuing. “But what good is it to practice hitting stationary targets when most of your prey out in the field will be most decidedly mobile? Tonight, Warden Howe is going to graciously help you with moving targets. Something simple: flaming arrows. You are to strike them before they can hit the ground or cause any damage to the keep. Understood?”

 

Jana looked at the Commander as if the woman had lost her mind. Perry, the elf, merely shrugged and nodded. Sevarra grinned.

 

“Recruits, to your stations. Prepare yourselves. Nathaniel, on my mark...”

 

He plucked up an arrow with a cloth-covered head and dipped it in oil and then let the flame of the torch lick it, setting it alight.

 

“Loose!”

 

The fiery arrow flew skyward. The crackle and sizzle of lightning filled the practice yard as a blue bolt flew after the missile, striking it. A pause and silence overtook the yard afterward.

 

“Nicely done, Perry. Warden-Recruit Jana, why did you not fire as ordered?” Sevarra inquired.

 

“It just seems so… so… mad! Why do this? Don’t we have better things to do?” the blonde woman managed to sputter out after several moments of enduring her Commander’s all-too-intense gaze.

 

“This is the practice yard. We are here to practice. Do you know what happens to mages who do not practice and find themselves in a fight?” the Commander said patiently.

 

“What?”

 

Sevarra slowly, calmly stood toe to toe with the taller blonde woman. After holding her gaze for several moments, she loudly answered. “THEY WIND UP DEAD. Is that something you wish to happen to yourself or your fellow Wardens?”

 

Jana quickly shook her head.

 

Amell’s stormy expression quickly vanished, replaced by an almost sincere smile. “Good. Nate, fire another one, if you would.”

 

It took three separate arrows before Jana finally hit her target. Perry had sniped the first two when it looked like the flaming arrows were going to hit the roof. A friendly pat on the shoulder made Jana startle.

 

“There, see? That wasn’t so difficult, was it? You need to stop being afraid of your magic. Look at Nate. Does he seem frightened when he fires his bow? You need to develop trust in your magic like he has for his bow.”

 

“But the Chantry--” Jana started to speak.

 

“--does not understand much of anything where magic is concerned. They would have you believing that you are seconds from becoming some sort of monster simply because the Maker decided you would be born with magic in your veins. Who do you trust more: some hateful old biddy of a Revered Mother who probably needs a roll in the hay more than anything, or the Maker who made you?” Amell finished.

 

Perry couldn’t stop the wild peel of laughter that flew out of his mouth. The Commander smiled and shot a wink the elf’s way after giving Jana one last pat on the shoulder. She ordered several more shots. Blue and white bolts raced to be the first to strike the flaming arrows while they sailed the sky. After a while, the recruits begged off, claiming fatigue from nearly-depleted mana reserves.

 

“Nathaniel, how many arrows are left?”

 

“Just the one, Commander,” he answered.

 

“Fire when able,” she smirked.

 

The flaming arrow sailed into the starry sky. A flash of green was accompanied by the smell of ozone as the magical bolt struck and obliterated the arrow. A loud whoop filled the air as Sevarra bounced on her feet in victory.

 

“You finally figured out the trick to make them green, I see,” Howe chuckled.

 

“Damn right I did!” she preened.


End file.
